Roasted Peppers Recipe

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Roasted in the oven to caramelized perfection, this roasted peppers recipe will soon be your favorite go-to vegetable side dish. This recipe is simple and easy to prepare on a weeknight or for your next party.

These roasted bell peppers retain a bit of a bite, while still being juicy, with deliciously savory-sweet caramelized edges.

Learn how to roast the best peppers and make a batch for your next family weeknight meal.

Roasted bell peppers liven up any meal, any time of year. Bell peppers are very common in Mexican cuisine, such as in the ever-popular fajitas, burritos or tacos. You’ll also find red bell pepper in a tasty homemade chicken stir fry.

I recently added roasted peppers as a topping to this delightfully comforting buttered noodles recipe.

The peppers lend a rich smoky flavor to a dish that is dominated—deliciously so—by garlic and parmesan.

Ingredients for Roasted Peppers

Oven roasting peppers at home is a fairly simple process. I have found the key to the best roasted bell peppers is to be patient. Roasting requires time, as well as heat, to develop the signature caramelization you’re expecting.

Here is the list of ingredients you will need for this recipe:

Bell peppers, 2-4 sliced red, orange and/or yellow - For the most part, it does not matter what color bell peppers you use. However, red, orange and yellow are sweeter than the more bitter green bell pepper counterpart.
Olive oil, about 2 tablespoons - Everyone has their go-to roasting/baking oil or fat, but I stick with olive oil. For two bell peppers, 2 tablespoons is ample, though you may find you need to add 1-2 or more tablespoons for 3-4 bell peppers.
Salt and pepper, to taste - Truth be told, I do not put salt or pepper on our roasted bell peppers. I prefer the natural caramelized flavor that results from roasting. That said, many enjoy sprinkling a little salt and pepper on yours.

Roasted bell peppers served on a platter

Variations and Substitutions:

Give your peppers a little kick by adding Lawry’s Seasoning Salt.
Roast with a few fresh sliced cloves of garlic to impart savory garlic into the peppers.
For a New Orleans twist, sprinkle with Tony Chatere’s Creole Seasoning.

Equipment to Roast Peppers in the Oven

Homemade roasted peppers in the oven does not take special kitchen equipment. You just need a few kitchen staples to make the best roasted peppers you’ll ever have.

Roasting pan - A 3- or 6-quart roasting pan will be perfectly sized for this or a slightly larger portion. I highly recommend the gorgeous, durable white porcelain roaster by the eponymous French brand, Pillivuyt. There are many, many reasons to love their products. One of the most important is they do not contain lead or cadmium. They are also still made in France. No, I am not affiliated (but I can dream); rather, I truly love and use their products all the time.

Tip:

Kitchen cookware and bakeware can be an investment, but if you buy things that are made well and built to last, you’ll hopefully only have to buy that item once in your lifetime.

Mixing bowl - For this recipe, a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl both work well. Of course, I like functional and beautiful kitchen items (because it makes me happy), which means I have pretty mixing bowls as well as a set of stainless steel bowls. The pretty bowls are handthrown pottery mixing bowls from etuHome, when recipes do not require a hand blender.

Otherwise, I pull out this—also pretty—stainless steel mixing bowl set that comes with lid attachments, such as a grater. The bottom is silicone, which means the bowls don’t slide around when you’re using them. They come in different colors. I have the neutral khaki color.

lid attachments for stainless steel mixing bowl set

Serving platter - You do not need to serve roasted peppers on a special serving platter, but there is nothing wrong with elevating a weeknight dinner. Bring out this stunning fluted white porcelain oval platter to make your meal look extra delicious. In case you’re interested, Williams Sonoma carries the nicest assortment of French white porcelain serveware for any occasion.
Spatula - Depending on the type of roasting pan you have, you may need to use a specific spatula to serve the peppers. A wood spatula or a silicon spatula will work well.

Instructions

Wash and remove stem and seeds from bell peppers.

One red and one yellow fresh uncut bell pepper

Fresh red bell pepper deseeded and stem removed

Slice bell peppers vertically into strips.

Tip:

There are two main methods to cut a bell pepper.

The first, and perhaps easiest method, is to simply cut the top and bottom off the pepper, saving as much of the “meat” as you can. Then cut it vertically, fan it out and make vertical slices.

The second method is to cut vertically, starting at the stem, all the way down and then up the other side of the pepper. Gently pull the pepper in half at the stem. Twist the stem to remove and discard it. Remove the seeds and areas attached to the seeds. Make vertical slices of similar sizes.

Sliced fresh bell peppers one red and one yellow

Coat bell peppers in olive oil.

Tip:

Put the sliced peppers into a large mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil and gently shake. This will effectively coat the peppers.

Fresh bell peppers in olive oil in a stainless steel mixing bowl

Arrange bell peppers in a single, uncrowded layer in a roasting pan.

Bake at 450 for 25-30 minutes. The peppers should have some caramelized edges, top and/or bottoms, depending on how they were arranged. If not, continue roasting in 5 minute increments until the desired doneness, keeping a close watch as to not burn the peppers.

Serving Suggestions

Roasted peppers make the perfect side dish to accompany a meaty main course. Then again, no one said you can’t load your plate with roasted bell peppers with a small portion of meat.

Side Dish - Typically, roasted vegetables, such as bell peppers, are served as the side dish to an entree. Serve these peppers with steak, including petit filet, carnitas or sizzling fajitas, or juicy barbacoa or tender pulled pork.

Appetizer - Having a holiday party or outdoor pool party? Roast a batch of peppers and serve them in small bowls, plates or ramekins.
Topping - Add roasted peppers to buttered noodles with garlic and parmesan that lends a complementary smoky flavor.
Snack - If you’re trying to eat more vegetables, why not nosh on bell peppers roasted in the oven? Bell peppers are packed with vitamins and antioxidants, which means you can snack away while getting your veggies for the day.

How to Store Leftover Roasted Peppers

You can store leftover roasted peppers in a sealed container in your refrigerator for a few days, but no more than a week. I have read that if you put oil on the peppers they can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. We eat them within a couple days, so I have not tried refrigerating them that long.

Seeing as how we eat our roasted peppers long before they would need to be frozen, you may be able to keep them for 6 months to a year in the freezer, but I have never done that. You should conduct a trial and error to gauge which is better for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you cut bell peppers for roasting?

Cut vertically, starting at the stem, all the way down and up the other side of the pepper. Gently pull the pepper in half at the stem. Twist the stem to remove it and discard. Remove the seeds and areas attached to the seeds, including the inner white “meat” of the pepper. Cut any discolored areas. Make vertical slices of similar sizes.

You can also cut the top and bottom off the pepper, saving as much of the “meat” as you can. Then cut it vertically, fan it out and make vertical slices.

How to roast peppers in the oven?

The key is to not overcrowd the roasting pan. Arrange the sliced bell peppers in a single, uncrowded layer in the pan, baking for 25-30 minutes. At that stage, they should have some caramelized edges, tops and/or bottoms, depending on how they were arranged. If not, continue roasting in 5-minute increments, keeping a close watch so as not to burn the peppers.

Do you seed peppers before roasting?

Yes, remove the seeds and stem before roasting bell peppers.